What's your opinion on dog parks?

Do you take your dog(s)? I've heard people say it's great for socializing, but also I've heard it can treat your dog bad behavior and isn't a good thing.

I usually walk Clover on a path, which people take their dogs. But it's more of a passing thing, she sees dogs for a few minutes in passing and we keep going. I've been a little busy lately and haven't been getting Clover out til dark so I've been taking her to the dog park. I just wish I knew more about which growls are ok and which are aggression so I can keep Clover away!

So what do you all think? Good or bad?

It varies park to park and dog to dog. Some of them are great, it all depends really on the people who participate. Any fenced in area where a dog can burn off energy is a good thing, and dog parks can help socialize a pup and get it used to meeting dogs of all sizes and kinds.

But if the humans using the park don't pay attention and don't control their dogs, it's a bad thing for everyone concerned.

There's no easy answer!

I take my sweetie to an off-leash dog park not far from my house. Very nice large area, completely fenced and Mindy loves it. The good part is the large area, chance to socialize your dog and let your dog be a dog. The off-side is been dogs will be dogs and there will always be not-so-responsible owners but they seem to find that they aren't welcome back. My little 30-lb spaniel mix was attacked by a very large mixed breed dog who was being aggressive. I've seen dog owners who never should never have their dogs there but I would say for the most part, they are great for the dogs. The rule at my dog park is if a dog is aggressive, they're to be put on leash and leave immediately. As far as learning bad manners, it's really up to the owners, not the other dogs. Yes, they do learn from each other but the owner has the ultimate say.

I personally wouldn't take my personal dogs or the dogs I have in the future to one! It's a personal preference for ME. There are better ways to socialize your dog with dogs you know that your friends or family have. Not with strange dogs. Not all dogs require dog friends. JMO.

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Originally Posted by FurkidsMom

As far as learning bad manners, it's really up to the owners, not the other dogs. Yes, they do learn from each other but the owner has the ultimate say.

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What can I do to prevent this? She is very friendly with other dogs, and the trainer I'm going to says she has good "manners". I'm worried about another dog bullying her. Sometimes I think they're hurting her but half the time they're just playing and it just sounds bad. I can't tell the difference sometimes.


luvofallhorses: I don't take her often, but for me it's more so for exercise. Her recall isn't 100% yet so there is only a few places she can go off leash. If it's after dark is pretty much has to be there. She goes nuts with out off leash time. I'm hoping to limit it more once she listens better, I agree it's probably not the best place to go.

Karen said it best, depends on the dog and the park.

I have small dogs, and around here, most of the parks do not have a separate area for small dogs. And every one of the parks has had an issue in the past 3 years of a small dog being harmed or killed at a dog park. I just don't even consider it.

I have a fenced in back yard and invite folks over; and I have a friend who does the same. So that gives our dogs play time in a safe environment.

Many places offer doggie play times. Usually it is $5 for an hour, you may want to look in to options; even if you don't go, just to find out what is available in your area! These are usually places which offer obedience classes and / or doggie day care. The play times are either Saturdays or evenings during the week, and are indoors. Again it is a safe place.

Another option is to search on meetup.com for a doggie play group near you. These may or may not have a fee, depends on who runs it, where it meets and such.

I personally really like taking Taggart to the dog park and he gets great enjoyment out of it too. I agree it depends on the dog though.
Taggart spends most of his time running and enjoying being off leash - that's the main reason I bring him there, because he gets such a rush from just running and that's the only place he can do that :)
He also seems to really like greeting every single dog and person there and that's most definitely helped with him not getting overly excited when we meet dogs on our regular walks because meeting dogs is less of a big deal when he gets to interact with them on a regular basis.

I wouldn't worry too much about the growling. The majority of dogs growl while playing and that's normal. Look at the complete body language and it shouldn't be difficult to see if it's play or not - if the body is stiff and there is growling, it means "back off". Growling while "wrestling" is just play-growling.
I personally don't intervene that much when Taggart hangs out with other dogs because he's good at speaking his own language and if a dog growls at him and tells him to get lost, he will do so.

I've been to several, and I'm not really happy with any.
I'd love to find one which was really "accommodating" but...

My first complaint is that there isn't enough separation in the Weight Sections.
My guys are pretty little, and the "Small Dog" side usually is from 0-30 lbs.
I'm a little apprehensive about my little Becca, possibly crossing up with a 30 pounder,
specially if both were off leash, which is the idea.

Next is the Maintenance, She could slip out from under some of the Fencing that I've
seen on the ones I've been too. I'm not going to go, if I'm worried about them, I'd
like to have as much fun as they do.

I love our little dog park. It has restrooms on site, several water spigots, a spigot at the front with a little slow draining bowl so the doggies can get a drink, and a separate little doggy space. It is also less than a year old so still in good shape. In a few years down the road we will see how well it is maintained. It is on our local park grounds so I am hoping that makes a difference in maintenance. There is one group of dogs that if I see them we will turn around and go home, or go in the little dog area if there is no one else in there. Other than that group everyone else has been awesome. I do have to keep a close eye on them because if Foxy is greeted by a dog who is too "friendly" she gets rather snippy. She likes the slow sniff your butt type of greeting not an in your face HI WANNA PLAY! greeting. If Autumn gets nervous she still comes over and hides behind me, but those have become less and less as she gets older. We don't have a lot of friends around here who have dogs so this has been a very big tool to Autumns socialization. She was starting to have issues with strangers and this has helped us a lot! I even think it has helped with Foxy as she has always been shy to strangers but opens up a little bit at the park. It has been a great tool for us but of course use your best judgment.

I have been to a dog park just to observe & if I was to take my dog to one I would do that first of all. I sat & watched the owners as well as the dogs. I found the whole experience entertaining. There was every breed of dog you could think of & every size dog running around having a great time.

I also notice the manners of the owners. If someones dogs cut another off the owner would apologize to the other owner. There must of been 30 some dogs on a 5 acre fenced in area with side paddocks fenced in with one gate, maybe used to get your dog started in & used to the situation? I didn't see anyone use them while I was there.

I only take Taggart to the dog park when Zoee is not around. So we've been a couple times in the past month. Since Taggart doesn't have Zoee at home to play with and get his energy out, the dog park is the best place for him.
I've seen owners not pay attention to their dogs. But there hasn't been any HUGE issues with this. Back before I got Taggart Zoee got into it with a Husky one time. The owner seemed to think it was Zoee's fault. :rolleyes: Zoee's never been in a fight with another dog in her life!

Our dog park has separate areas for big and small dogs. Sometimes someone will bring a small dog on the big dog side. I just shake my head. That's their decision. Poor dog.

We went to the park Sunday morning before we got lazy and watched the Super Bowl. I expected to stay for about an hour. After 30 minutes Taggart came over to me and just stayed there. I asked if he was ready to go and he ran to the gate. LOL

Anyway, dog parks aren't for every person or dog. Just use your best judgement and if you don't feel comfortable..............leave. :)

I have taken Brennan to the dog park near my house; however, I will only do so if there are absolutely no other dogs there. No chance in risking a fight, but it helps him burn off energy since we don't have a fenced in yard.

If there are other dogs there on the large dog half of the park, absolutely not. That's too much risk for Brennan.

Lily has never been to one, but we used to take her to a baseball field and let her run when she was younger. Now, she just doesn't care. She's happy with a small walk around the neighborhood.

I've gone to both area dog parks for over 13 years, sometimes with 3 dogs in tow. I've rarely seen or had any problems. One park is 12 acres with a pond and 3seperate sections and is usually pretty slow. The other is almost 20 acres and has 4 fenced sections including a wooded section, two fields, and a small dog section. The second park can have over 200 dogs at one time. I love the dog parks and so do my dogs. The thing is, I live in an area where people who don't take great care of their animals is the minority. People here do everything with their dogs. In fact, until this bad economy started hitting, we had less adoptable dogs in shelters than there was demand for. You used to have to drive within a few hour radious to find a dog to adopt. All of our area dog shelters and rescues are still no-kill (except for health) because they are not the least bit full.

I didn't know there were people against it, I think dog parks are great concepts when used properly by sane people. ;)

They're a great tool for socialization, exercise and down-time. Of course the dogs need to be watched, and of course if your dog isn't good with others you have no business being there.

As for the risk of fights at Dog parks, well yeah you run the risk of that. But you run the risk of that in a multiple dog home, a doggy day care, playdates with friends & families dogs, even walking down the street.

I've been working at a Doggy Daycare for about 2 months now and if you want a much more controlled environment I'd suggest that. Not everyday, just a couple of times a week or so. It burns PLENTY of energy, trust me. It also helps a great great deal with socialization, both with strangers and dogs alike. We foster plenty of rescues there who originally were listed as "not good with dogs," when that has changed them dramatically. Two of them are now MUCH better behaved when around other dogs and they play fight rather then actually start a fight. Of course there are little spats here and there but nothing major. The dogs are supervised very well and you can even find one that has cameras so you can watch your dog online. If your dog doesn't like it, the workers will be very honest with you. They want your dog to be extremely happy to be there.

As for "reading" dogs, well that's a difficult one. You can't always tell what the other dogs are doing and if it's good or bad. At work, if we don't like what's going on we spray them with water bottles and if it escalates we use a hose, etc. If you don't like what's going on YOU have to judge it for yourself. They might just be playing but even then they could hurt themselves or another dog. You have the authority to stop something your dog is involved in.
It's only a suggestion though, good luck in whatever you decide.

I live in a pretty small town. I'm not sure that we have doggy day care or places for dogs to have play times. We have kennels that board but I've never heard of doggy day care around here to set up play times. We're just about to open our first petsmart. Do they usually have stuff like that?

We don't have any dog parks around here but I don't think I would take my dogs. I guess it would depend on how well it was run or monitored. We have no doggie day cares that are set up for socializing either. The only hting we do have is Petsmart and I do take mine there sometimes but I'm not keen on that because of how dirty the floors are. I do like to meet other people and their dogs and so does my dog so once in a while I give in. What really bothers me is that they have cleaning stations every few feet but some people pretend they don't notice if their dog has an accident on the floor and just walk away and leave it. And these are not pups, really never understood how grwon dogs could just soil on the floor like that. The employees then have to wipe it up and they do spray the floor with disinfectant but I still worry about my dog picking up something. Our dogs are generally exercised in trails, living in the country we are never short of those. They love to run free and sniff everything in the bush.

This was just shared on another dog forum I participate in. I immediately thought of this thread, as it makes it so clear that you MUST be aware and on your toes at all times. Even after you've been a few times! Sorry, a bit long, but I think she wrote it up well:

Dog Park Scary Moments: [ that was HER title in the other forum, not something I put to 'scare' ya!]
I really want to share this story to show the risk of going to a dog park. It's not always a bad thing but I always warn people to use them at their own risk. Feel free to share any moments you may have had at a park.

Rummy is the first dog I have ever owned who I feel comfortable taking to the dog park. He is respectful of other dogs and plays nicely. He will never start a fight and if something does happens he's the first to retreat from the situation. Doesn't have a mean bone in him. Not much of an issue and we go at least a couple times a week. It's a hidden park and usually there are the same dogs we see each time with the same owners. I know there is always a risk each time I go of something going wrong so I am usually always on my guard and am developing a good recall with Rummy to call him off of anything. Today just was not that kind of day.

We walked around the park, usual dogs in the park with a couple I didn't recognize. I let Rummy in, they sniffed each other then I let him off the leash. He ran over to a new dog who was on a leash with a lady. The leashed dog started lashing out towards Rummy trying to attack him, trying to attack the lady. Rummy didn't fight back but cowered down enough that I pulled him away before anything could happen. The lady yelled out "Hold your dog back!". Then she walked out with the dog. A younger kid followed her out.

It turned out the dog was not hers. It was an unsupervised 10 year old boy who came in the park with his friends and didn't know his dog was dog reactive. The dog was a young female Pit Bull. I don't have a problem with Pits but it was obvious this kid didn't know anything about his own dog. The lady was a very experanced dog walker who steped in earlyer to stop another fight with the same dog that had just happened moments before I arrived. I did not see it when I first got there and was unawair of what I had walked into. She spent a good amount of time talking to the kid outside of the fenced in area, telling him not to bring his dog back. Then came back in. I was still shaken up and apploigized for letting my dog approach the dog. She said I did nothing wrong but warned me to watch for something like the hard staring the dog was doing. I regret not seeing that when I steped in. She then filled me in on what had happend, said it is a learning process. No one was hurt thankfully but yikes it could have been worse. I will still go back there but I hope that kid never brings that dog back.

I don't know any doggie daycares who let the owners just take their dogs there to play and the owners stay the whole time. Don't you just drop your dogs off with strangers? I would NEVER let my dogs go to a doggie daycare and play under the supervision of strangers, especially if the ratio is like one or two workers to a roomful of dogs.

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Originally Posted by Freedom

This was just shared on another dog forum I participate in. I immediately thought of this thread, as it makes it so clear that you MUST be aware and on your toes at all times. Even after you've been a few times! Sorry, a bit long, but I think she wrote it up well:

Dog Park Scary Moments: [ that was HER title in the other forum, not something I put to 'scare' ya!]
I really want to share this story to show the risk of going to a dog park. It's not always a bad thing but I always warn people to use them at their own risk. Feel free to share any moments you may have had at a park.

Rummy is the first dog I have ever owned who I feel comfortable taking to the dog park. He is respectful of other dogs and plays nicely. He will never start a fight and if something does happens he's the first to retreat from the situation. Doesn't have a mean bone in him. Not much of an issue and we go at least a couple times a week. It's a hidden park and usually there are the same dogs we see each time with the same owners. I know there is always a risk each time I go of something going wrong so I am usually always on my guard and am developing a good recall with Rummy to call him off of anything. Today just was not that kind of day.

We walked around the park, usual dogs in the park with a couple I didn't recognize. I let Rummy in, they sniffed each other then I let him off the leash. He ran over to a new dog who was on a leash with a lady. The leashed dog started lashing out towards Rummy trying to attack him, trying to attack the lady. Rummy didn't fight back but cowered down enough that I pulled him away before anything could happen. The lady yelled out "Hold your dog back!". Then she walked out with the dog. A younger kid followed her out.

It turned out the dog was not hers. It was an unsupervised 10 year old boy who came in the park with his friends and didn't know his dog was dog reactive. The dog was a young female Pit Bull. I don't have a problem with Pits but it was obvious this kid didn't know anything about his own dog. The lady was a very experanced dog walker who steped in earlyer to stop another fight with the same dog that had just happened moments before I arrived. I did not see it when I first got there and was unawair of what I had walked into. She spent a good amount of time talking to the kid outside of the fenced in area, telling him not to bring his dog back. Then came back in. I was still shaken up and apploigized for letting my dog approach the dog. She said I did nothing wrong but warned me to watch for something like the hard staring the dog was doing. I regret not seeing that when I steped in. She then filled me in on what had happend, said it is a learning process. No one was hurt thankfully but yikes it could have been worse. I will still go back there but I hope that kid never brings that dog back.

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That's scary, but all too common in the Pit Bull world. Owners are stupid and don't know their dogs. This is why you learn to read body language and why you're never supposed to take a Pit bull to a dog park. They are prone to dog aggression, and it's not their fault, it's the owner's for being an idiot.

I'm glad this person's dog wasn't hurt... I could smack the Pit Bull's owner and the woman handling it!

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Originally Posted by IRescue452

I don't know any doggie daycares who let the owners just take their dogs there to play and the owners stay the whole time. Don't you just drop your dogs off with strangers? I would NEVER let my dogs go to a doggie daycare and play under the supervision of strangers, especially if the ratio is like one or two workers to a roomful of dogs.

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Yes, you drop your dogs off. It's the exact same concept as child daycare.

While that's your choice and feelings of it, many people (including me, and yeah granted I work at one but I would have taken Mikey to one anyway) will and do take their dogs to doggie daycares. Surprisingly, alot of owners take their dogs to daycares because they want them to be more comfortable with other dogs and people, especially the puppies and younger dogs, and it truthfully works wonders. They're also great for dogs that have separation anxiety and boredom issues if their owners aren't home alot. It's a safe place for the dogs to play completely supervised. I am not saying they're are not fights, because there are. But that's a risk of any situation involving alot of dogs. Not to mention, the dogs have an "interview" to see if this is the right environment for them to be in.

Sowa,
Just try a quick google search. I'm not sure where you are in CA but there are bound to be SOME around.

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Originally Posted by IRescue452

I don't know any doggie daycares who let the owners just take their dogs there to play and the owners stay the whole time. Don't you just drop your dogs off with strangers? I would NEVER let my dogs go to a doggie daycare and play under the supervision of strangers, especially if the ratio is like one or two workers to a roomful of dogs.

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Yes that is the point of daycare - care for the day while you work or travel. OR have a doctor's appt. Just like daycare for kids.

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I could smack the Pit Bull's owner and the woman handling it!

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The woman stepped in to get the dog under control, and was still doing that from the prior incident before removing it from the park when Rommy and owner entered.

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Originally Posted by Freedom

The woman stepped in to get the dog under control, and was still doing that from the prior incident before removing it from the park when Rommy and owner entered.

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Oops, I read that wrong and was completely confused then. :o Kudos to her for stepping in before a fight broke out, but one, why did she have to control the ten year old's dog? And second, who lets their 10 year old take a Pit Bull to a dog park? :rolleyes: Brennan is strong enough to pull ME down, so I can't imagine how a ten year old kid could walk a Pit Bull and control it...

I was a little upset today when I took Clover to the dog park. As SOON as she entered the area 2 dogs charged up to her and began chasing her around barking non stop. She looks scared, and they just kept chasing her so I called her to me and she came and tried to hide behind me. The 2 dogs kept at her so I pushed them away and told them to get back. The owner came up at this point and pulled them away, I'm assuming he was annoyed I pushed his dog away cause he didn't apologize..:rolleyes: He let the dogs go again and they went right back to her and did the same over again. I was annoyed/upset and was just going to leave but he grabbed them and left first. You'd think he'd say sorry, clearly I was upset about this. What would cause the dogs to do this? Clover isn't dominant at all. She had her tail between her legs. There were other dogs there they didn't bother.

Hi, I didnt want you to think I was ignoring your thread. I have no knowledge of dog parks. I live in the country on several acres & Annie runs free all the time & she is stays mainly in the yard area unless she is walking with us. LilGirl goes outside on a LEASH 99.8% of the time. If she is off leash, believe me, I am with her. She does not go out alone... ever. Stray dogs could come by or an eagle (some at a lake 10 miles away) might grab her.

If I had to go to a dog park, I dont know who would be more concerned: my dogs or me. I know I would be fearful that some dog would hurt my dog... just the way I am. I probably would not go to a dog park myself. I'm a fan of little dogs with the exception of Annie whom I know personally & I know she is a sweet girl. However, I dont know how she would be with other dogs her size. I do know she does not like to see any other dog in her territory except LilGirl of course.

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Originally Posted by Sowa

I was a little upset today when I took Clover to the dog park. As SOON as she entered the area 2 dogs charged up to her and began chasing her around barking non stop. She looks scared, and they just kept chasing her so I called her to me and she came and tried to hide behind me. The 2 dogs kept at her so I pushed them away and told them to get back. The owner came up at this point and pulled them away, I'm assuming he was annoyed I pushed his dog away cause he didn't apologize..:rolleyes: He let the dogs go again and they went right back to her and did the same over again. I was annoyed/upset and was just going to leave but he grabbed them and left first. You'd think he'd say sorry, clearly I was upset about this. What would cause the dogs to do this? Clover isn't dominant at all. She had her tail between her legs. There were other dogs there they didn't bother.

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This happens all the time at work when a new dog enters one of the play-yards. I figure it's just because the dog is "new" to the scene and they feel the need to check it out. It stops after a minute or two.

Yes, it was "check out the new kid" time, as long as they were just barking, there's not much to worry about. Pay attention to their body language as well, were tails up and wagging? How were their ears? Clover will pick up on your emotions, so next time, as long as it's normal greeting stand your ground, and show her it's okay, so she doesn't learn to be more afraid, okay?

I know I over react and worry about her. They didn't seem to be playing though. No wagging tails, just non stop barking one on each side of her. They chased her around for a while before she came to me. Normally even if I think the dog is mean to her she'll just keep playing if it's not bothering her. The guy pulled them off and let them go again after a minute and they ran right for her and started again. I'd really like to learn dog behavior so I can understand what's playing and whats picking on :o

It sounds like this guy had some very rude dogs, poorly trained around other dogs besides each other. Typical of dogs who have been raised together since puppies. Its kind of pack mentality but neither pack member is aggressive enough to start a fight, they're just putting on the show of dominance together. I have a neighbor who has two pugs who do the same thing to Autumn except he's working with them. If they were not going too far from their owner and you had a big enough park you probably could have walked far enough away from them that they'd go on to some other dog to harass. Pack dogs are the worst, even if they aren't aggressively attacking, I avoid people with a tight-knit pack at the park.

I would personally never take my dogs to the dog park here. There is no separate area for small dogs, and I have small, fragile dogs. I also have five dogs, they have their own little play group, and a fenced yard. Not worth this risk at all, to me.

I avoid them at all cost. Too many things can go wrong. There are far too many idiots out there that have trouble getting through life themselves never mind being able to control their dogs. :rolleyes: